Foot-controlled electric governor



H. D. FLEGEL.

FOOT CONTROLLED ELECTRIC GOVERNOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1919.

Patented June 29, 1920.

-------'z I ----"'"'Z8' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRISON D. FLEGEL, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HAMILTON-BEACH MFG. 00., 0F RACINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

FOOT-CONTROLLED ELECTRIC GOVERNOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1920.

Application filed May 24, 1919. Serial No. 299,469.-

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, HARRISON D. FLEGEL, a citizen of'the United States, and resident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of lVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Foot-Controlled Electric Governors, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part ofthis specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in foot controlled electric governors, and has for one of its objects to provide a governor particularly adapted for running sewing machines,

dental lathes or other light mechanisms. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot controlled governor which may be electrically connected to a motor and placed upon the floor and engaged by the foot of the operator, and as the foot pedal is placed downwardly with greater or less force, the speed of the motor will be correspon'dingly increased or diminished.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foot controlled governor which is associated with a rheostat in such a manner that as the foot pedal is pressed downwardly, the resistance units of the rheostat will be cut out ofthe circuit in which the rheostat is included in successive order and thereby control the speed of the motor which is also included in the circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foot controlled governor which will be entirely inclosed to thus protect the parts thereof from moisture, and the contact points from becoming coated with dust particles or other foreign matter.

A further object of he invention is to provide, a foot controlled governor in which the foot pedal and the rheostat are associated together into a unitary structure which is compact in size, is simple in construction,;

is strong and durable, and is well adapted for the purpose desired.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure '1 is a longitudinal sectional view through my device, said View being taken on the line l-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View looking at the bottom of my device, said view being taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken I on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 5 designates a base member having its longitudinal side edges bent as at 6 to provide a guiding groove for receiving the flanged end 7 of the. closed casing 8. The casing 8 is rectangular shaped in plan View, and has its rear vertical wall shorter than its outer wall to incline its top wall 9. A treadle member or foot pedal 10 is adapted to telescope over casing 8, and is normally urged from casing 8 by means of a leaf spring 11, which has its outer end 12 free and impinging upon the top wall 9 of held in spaced relation therewith by means of bolts 17 passing through the projections 16 and top 9. Mounted in the grooves of the member 15 is a continuous resistance element 18 having one endconnected with the terminal of an electric feed-wire 20 as at 21, and its other end connected to one contact 22 of a plurality of contacts to be later described.) The member 15 is shaped similar to casing 8, and has'its larger outer end co vcred i'by means of an insulating plate 23 which is secured thereto by means of bolts 2% having their threaded ends engaged by binding nuts seated in recesses 25 in the side walls of member 15. The plate 23 has se cured thereto on an inclined plane. a series of contacts 2G, 2T, 28, 29, 30. ll, and 22 each of which have their shank 32 extended through plate 2 3 and engaging the portion of the resistance element lo in the adjacent groove of member 15; thereby being in electrical connection with the element 11%.

A U-shaped arm 33 has its closed end adjacent plate 23 and its free ends pivoted to a rod 34 extending through member 15 near its inner end. and adjustably carried by the closed end of said pivoted arm for engaging the contacts on plate 23 is a contact bar 35 having its ends reduced and received in recesses 36 in said arm, and the bar 35 is further supported in arm 1!) by means of bolts 37 slidably mounted in an aperture in the closed end of arm 19, and having their inner threaded ends in threaded engagement with bar 35. The contact bar is normally urged inwardly from the closed end of arm 19 by means of an arcuate leaf spring 38 having its ends recessed to engage about bolts 37. The spring 38 has its portion 39 abutting the closed end of arm 19 disposed away from the center of said bar and arm whereby the contact bar in its passage over the contacts carried by plate 23 will be held in firm engagement with said contacts as will be later described. The arm 19 is operatively connected with the treadle 10 by means of a connection etO having one end laterally flanged and secured thereto by means of the threaded nut and bolt 41 and its other end loosely pivoted to and insulated tron rarm 19 by means of screw 42 and insulating washers 3; the connection 10 passing upwardly through a slotted opening 4-1 in the top 9 at casing 8.

The other lead-wire 20' is grounded to the arm 19 as at 45. and when the treadle 10 is depressed and spring 11 overcome, the contact bar 35 will successively engage the contacts on the outer face of plate 23. and when said bar engages the first contact 22,

all of the resistance element will be in the circuit and the motor (not shown) will be run at slow speed and as the treadle is further depressed. the bar successively en gages the contacts on plate 23 and a portion of the resistance element will be cut out to speed up the motor. \Vhen the contact bar is in engagement with the lowermost contact member 31, practically all of the resistance element is cut out and the motor is then running at full speed.

As the spring 38 tends to press the end of contact bar 35 adjacent the side on which contact 31 is disposed inwardly more so than its other end, the proper engagement of said bar successively with said contacts is insured in that the end of bar 35 adjacent contact 22 will be spaced far enough from plate :33 to permit the engagement with said contact. and as the same progresses to the various contacts, the spring $35 will be overcome as it will be obvious.

The casing 6 is spaced from the door by means of rubber feet or pads $1 to prevent the casing trom treely sliding on the floor.

From the foregoing description. it will be seen that the toot controlled electric governor is of very simple construction and well adapted for the control of sewing machines, dental lathes or other small electric motors.

'hat 1 claim as my invention is:

1. An electrical governor comprising a closed casing having an opening in one wall thereof, switch means inclosed within the casing. a treadle member adapted to telcscope over the casing upon depression, a connecting member carried by the treadle member and passed into the casing upon depression, a connecting member carried by the treadle member and passed into the casing through the opening therein and connected with the switch means. and a spring member confined between the casing and treadle member for normally urging the treadle member upwardly to render the switch means inoperative.

2. An electrical governor comprising a closed casing having an opening in one wall thereof. switch means inclosed within the casing, a treadle member adapted to telescope over the casing upon depression, a connecting member carried by the treadle member and passed into the casing through the opening therein and connected with the switch means. and a fiat spring member providing means for hingedly connecting the treadle member and casing and for normally urging the trcadle member away from the casing. said spring member being fixed to the trcadle member and having one end hingedly connected with one easing wall and having its other end resiliently bearing against said wall.

3. A :t'oot controlled electric governor, comprising. a casing. a treadle carried by the casing. 21 rheostat in the casing and including an insulating member. resistance elements carried by the insulating member. a plate disposed across one end of the insulating member, contacts carried by the plate and connected with the resistance elements and a switch arm for successively engaging said contacts, and means connectmg the switch arm and treadle.

4. A foot controlled electric governor, comprising, a casing. a treadle carried by the casing, a rheostat in the casing and including a grooved member of insulating material secured to one wall thereof, resistance elements disposed in the grooves of said member, a plate extending across one end of said grooved member, contacts carried by the plate and connected with the resistance elements, a switch arm adapted for movement over the face of said plate and a contact member carried by said switch arm and yieldingly urged inwardly to successively engage said contacts when the switch arm is actuated, and means connecting the switch arm and said treadle.

5. A foot controlled electric governor, comprising, a casing, a treadle carried by the casing, a rheostat in the casing and including a grooved member of insulating material suspended from the top wall of the casing, resistance elements disposed in the grooves of said member, a plate secured to one end of the grooved member trans-.

versely of its grooves, contacts carried by the plate and registering with the grooves of said member and connected with the resistance elements, and a switch arm adapted to successively engage .the contacts, and means operatively connecting the treadle and switch arm.

6. A foot controlled electric governor, comprising, a casing, a rheostat mounted therein and including resistance elements, a plate member, a plurality of contacts carried by the plate and arranged on an inclined plane and connected with the resistance elements, a pivoted arm adapted to move over the face of said plate, a contact member carried by the pivoted arm and adapted to successively engage the contacts, a bow shaped spring between said contact member and thearm to resiliently urge said member to engage the contacts, and a treadle for operating the pivoted arm.

7. A switch arm for foot controlled electric governors, comprising, a pivoted member, movable contact member adjustably carried thereby, and spring means for urging the contact member inwardly from the pivoted member,-the tension of said spring means being off center with relation to said pivoted member and contact member.

8. An electrical governor comprising a casing, a treadle carried by the casing, a rheostat in the casing and including agrooved insulating member of substantially V-shape, resistance elements disposed in the grooves of said insulating member, positioned adjacent one side of the V and contacts registering with the grooves of the insulating member and connected with the resistance elements and a switch arm adapted to successively engage the contacts to vcut in or out the resistance elements, and means operatively connecting the treadle and switch arm.

An electrical governor comprising a casing, a treadle carried by the casing, a rheostat in the casing and including a substantially triangular shaped insulating member provided with a spiraling groove, a single length of resistance material disposed in the spiral groove of said member, contacts disposed on one side of the triangle and connected with the resistance material at intervals and a switcharm movable to suecessively engage the contacts to either cut in or out parts of the resistance material, and means operatively connecting the treadle and switch arm.

10. An electrical governor comprising a casing, a rheostat mounted thereon, contacts connected with the rheostat, a pivoted arm, a contact member, means slidably connecting the contact member with said arm and limiting the movement of said member, a spring member confined between said arm and member for yieldingly urging the contact member inwardly, and a treadle for operating the pivoted arm and its contact member to successively engage said contacts.

11. An electrical governor comprising a casing, a rheostat mounted therein, contacts connectedwith the rheostat, a substantially U-shaped member having its ends pivotally mounted and its transverse portion spaced from the contacts and movable to sweep the same, a contact member arranged substantially parallel with the transverse portion of the U-shaped member and slidable toward and away from the contacts, sprin means confined between the contact mem er and transverse portion of the U-shaped'member to normally yiel'dingly' urge the contact member to engage the contacts, and a treadle for operating said U-shaped member to sweep its transverse portion over the contacts and successively engage the contact member with the contacts.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

HARRISON D. FLEGEL. 

